Garden And Gardener

Everything for the Gardener and their Garden

New products at Crocus

by Sarah - April 3rd, 2014.
Filed under: Crocus, New Products.

New items added today at Crocus

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (west Himalayan birch)

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (west Himalayan birch) £14.99
Position: full sun or lightly dappled shade Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: March Flower colour: yellowy-brown male catkins Other features: smooth, bright white bark is very attractive in winter Hardiness: fully hardy Attractive bright white bark, dark green leaves, which turn yellow in autumn, and yellowy brown catkins in spring. An elegant tree that is perfect for all gardens, large or small. It can be grown as a specimen in the lawn, grown in a group in a woodland or just planted as a feature in the garden border. Garden care: Requires minimal pruning. Remove any broken, diseased or crossing branches in late autumn or winter. When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting and stake well.

Heuchera 'Lime Marmalade' (PBR) (coral bells)

Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’ (PBR) (coral bells) £9.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist or well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to July Flower colour: greenish-white Hardiness: fully hardy Luminous lime green leaves with softly ruffled edges, provide a zesty blast of colour from spring to autumn. The spires of white flowers which appear in summer are pretty too, although it is primarily grown for its foliage colour. A strong and vigorous variety, you can use it to spill over the edges of a path, or fill gaps towards the front of a border. It also looks very effective in a pot. Garden care: Lift and divide large clumps in early autumn and replant with the crown just above the surface of the soil. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the crown of the plant in spring.

Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta 'Blue Cloud' (lesser catmint)

Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta ‘Blue Cloud’ (lesser catmint) £7.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to September Hardiness: fully hardy This upright, bushy plant produces a haze of tiny blue flowers with long purple bracts from June right through to September. When crushed, the oval, dark green leaves emit a spearmint-like scent and the flowers are a magnet for bees. Try this lovely catmint in a warm, sunny spot in the garden, among herbs or Mediterranean-style plants. Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies in spring.

Geranium pyrenaicum 'Bill Wallis' (pyreneal cranesbill)

Geranium pyrenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’ (pyreneal cranesbill) £7.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast Flowering period: May to October Hardiness: frost hardy (will need protection in winter) Small but striking, rich purple flowers are held on long, purple-tinged stems for a long period throughout summer and autumn on this sprawling, semi-evergreen cranesbill. It makes an ideal, low maintenance groundcoverfor sun or shade, where it will self-seed freely if left unattended. Particularly effective when planted in wild gardens, where it can be left to colonise and spread. Garden care: Some protection from severe frosts may be necessary during winter using a framework of canes surrounded with fleece and stuffed with straw or bracken. Container grown plants should be placed in a cool, sheltered site such as a cold greenhouse or cold frame.

Campanula persicifolia (bellflower)

Campanula persicifolia (bellflower) £6.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil Rate of growth: av erage Flowering period: June and July Hardiness: f ully hardy Elegant rosettes of narrow green leaves and exquisite lilac blue flowers in summ er Garden care: Protect the tender foliage from slugs and deadhead regularly. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost around t he base of the plant in spring. Stake with bamboo canes or brushwood in spring b efore the flowers appear. Deadhead to prolong flowering

Geranium 'Ann Folkard' (cranesbill)

Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ (cranesbill) £5.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: vigorous Flowering period: July to October Hardiness: fully hardy Vivid magenta, saucer-shaped flowers, each with a near-black eye and veining, appear in profusion on the long, scrambling stems from midsummer to mid-autumn. The foliage, which emerges yellowish-green, darkens as it matures, forming an attractive contrast. Garden care: In autumn, rejuvenate plants that are beginning to look jaded by removing old flowered stems and leaves.

Self-watering window box

Self-watering window box £4.99
Weight These are very light. Therefore they are easy to move around. Especially with large pots this is a huge convenience! You will have the opportunity to change the view of your terrace or balcony in an easy manner regularly by placing your pots elsewhere. Waterproof This is a very great advantage that will make your plant very happy indeed. Because synthetic flower pots are not porous, bacteria do not get the opportunity and additionally the soil dries out less rapidly due to evaporation or leaking of the water. Thus also clearly better for the health of your plants. If you use the pots indoors it also mean that you will not run the risk of getting stains on the floor, table or window sill as a result of leaking water. Frost proof You can easily leave your synthetic pots outdoors in the winter. Up to a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius below zero synthetics are frost proof. Handy if, for instance, you want to plant flower bulbs in flower boxes in autumn. But you can also create atmosphere on your terrace with an evergreen. . With synthetic pots you can therefore give your terrace a green face even in the winter! Durability Synthetic is a very strong and sturdy material. Pots that are made of synthetics do not break due to a little bump. There are no little pieces that break off. Convenient with children! Additionally this pot is UV proof, so they do not loose their colour under the influence of sunlight and that is a very appealing certainty. Maintenance friendly Synthetic pots are very easily cleaned. Because of the smooth surface (and the fact that they are not porous!) algae deposits for instance do not get much of a chance. A cloth, a hand wipe or a brush over the pot is usually sufficient to make the pots look like new again. Available in more than one colour. All colours sold separately. Measurements Length 50 cm Width 18cm Depth 14cm